Spark Bridge

Last updated

Spark Bridge
Road into Spark Bridge.JPG
Road into Spark Bridge from the north
Location map United Kingdom South Lakeland.svg
Red pog.svg
Spark Bridge
Location in South Lakeland
Cumbria UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Spark Bridge
Location within Cumbria
OS grid reference SD305849
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
Country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town ULVERSTON
Postcode district LA12
Dialling code 01229
Police Cumbria
Fire Cumbria
Ambulance North West
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Cumbria
54°15′18″N3°03′58″W / 54.255°N 3.066°W / 54.255; -3.066

Spark Bridge is a village in Cumbria, England, within the Lake District National Park, and within the historic boundaries of Lancashire. [1] The former mill village is situated away from the main road on the River Crake which flows from Coniston Water to Morecambe Bay at Greenodd. The village green which is next to and gives access to the river is in the middle of the village surrounded by well maintained white painted cottages.

Contents

Most of the village is in the civil parish of Egton with Newland, which has a joint parish council with Mansriggs and Osmotherley; [2] an area including the Farmer's Arms pub is in the adjacent parish of Lowick, to the north, and the area east of the River Crake is in the parish of Colton.

History

Spark Bridge bobbin mill, using power from the river, employed 60 people in the 1857, at which time it produced "1800 gross" (ie 1800x144 =259,200) bobbins per week. [3] The mill diversified after the cotton industry declined, and was active for much of the 20th century. [4]

Facilities

The River Crake passing through Spark Bridge River Crake at Spark Bridge.JPG
The River Crake passing through Spark Bridge

There are two public houses, The Royal Oak Inn at the centre of the village, and The Farmers Arms, a listed building rescued in 2021 by local arts charity Grizedale Arts, supported by loan stock investors and local and international donors. The diversified pub now offers crafts classes, talks and events and a holiday apartment as well as a bar, restaurant, cafe and outdoor pizza oven. [5] [6] The village also has its own postbox, a telephone box and a bus stop. The bus X 12 runs Monday to Saturday to Coniston or in the other direction to Ulverston and Barrow in Furness.

Canoeists use the village green to leave the river at this point, often using the nearby village hall as a base.

River Crake

The River Crake passes from Coniston Water four miles away through Spark Bridge en route to the Leven Estuary.

In November 2009 many of the tributaries feeding the River Crake overflowed, feeding water on the local road network. It was described as a once in a thousand-year flooding event by the Environment Agency. Cumbria Police closed the main bridge on Thursday night around 7 p.m. to all on foot and in cars, they feared that the damage could have been caused to the bridge but a later examination showed that it was undamaged.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulverston</span> Market town in Cumbria, England

Ulverston is a market town and civil parish in Westmorland and Furness, Cumbria, England. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 11,524, increasing at the 2011 census to 11,678. Historically in Lancashire, it lies a few miles south of the Lake District National Park and just north-west of Morecambe Bay, within the Furness Peninsula. Lancaster is 39 miles (63 km) to the east, Barrow-in-Furness 10 miles (16 km) to the south-west and Kendal 25 miles (40 km) to the north-east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake District</span> Mountainous region and national park in North West England

The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region and national park in Cumbria, North West England. It is famous for its landscape, including its lakes, coast, and the Cumbrian mountains; and for its literary associations with Beatrix Potter, John Ruskin, and the Lake Poets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkby Lonsdale</span> Town and civil parish in Cumbria, England

Kirkby Lonsdale is a town and civil parish in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England, on the River Lune. Historically in Westmorland, it lies 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Kendal on the A65. The parish recorded a population of 1,771 in the 2001 census, increasing to 1,843 at the 2011 Census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coniston Water</span> Lake in Cumbria, England

Coniston Water is a lake in the Lake District in North West England. It is the third largest by volume, after Windermere and Ullswater, and the fifth-largest by area. The lake has a length of 8.7 kilometres, a maximum width of 730 metres (800 yd), and a maximum depth of 56.1 m. Its outflow is the River Crake, which drains into Morecambe Bay via the estuary of the River Leven. The lake is in the unitary authority of Westmorland and Furness, and the ceremonial county of Cumbria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbria Way</span> Long-distance footpath in Cumbria, England

The Cumbria Way is a linear 112-kilometre (70-mile) long-distance footpath in Cumbria, England. The majority of the route is inside the boundaries of the Lake District National Park. Linking the two historic Cumbrian towns of Ulverston and Carlisle, it passes through the towns of Coniston and Keswick. The route cuts through Lakeland country via Coniston Water, Langdale, Borrowdale, Derwent Water, Skiddaw Forest and Caldbeck. It is a primarily low-level route with some high-level exposed sections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenodd</span> Human settlement in England

Greenodd is a village in the Furness area of the county of Cumbria, England, but within the historical county of Lancashire. For local government purposes the village is also within the South Lakeland local area of Westmorland and Furness unitary authority. It is located 3 miles (5 km) north-east of Ulverston at the junction of the A590 trunk road and the A5092 trunk road. The village is just outside the boundary of the Lake District National Park at 54°14′N3°3′W. Greenodd was within the Crake Valley area of South Lakeland District. The 2001 UK census, gives a population of 1823 for the Crake Valley. Greenodd and adjacent Penny Bridge are the main districts in the Crake Valley. The River Crake flows into the estuary of the River Leven at Greenodd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Crake</span> River in Cumbria, England

The River Crake is a short river in the English Lake District. The name probably derives from the Celtic languages and means rocky stream. The river drains Coniston Water from its southernmost point and flows for about 6 miles (9.5 km) in a southerly direction before joining the upper estuary of the River Leven at Greenodd. The river is in the historic county of Lancashire, but in an area that formed part of the county Cumbria after the 1974 reorganisation of local government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Staveley, Cumbria</span> Human settlement in England

Staveley is a village in the South Lakeland district, in Cumbria, England. Historically part of Westmorland, it is situated 4 miles (6 km) northwest of Kendal where the River Kent is joined by its tributary the Gowan. It is also known as Staveley-in-Westmorland and Staveley-in-Kendal to distinguish it from Staveley-in-Cartmel. There are three civil parishes – Nether Staveley, Over Staveley and Hugill (part). Their total population at the 2011 Census was 1,593 but this includes those living in the hamlet of Ings in Hugill parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coniston, Cumbria</span> Village and parish in England

Coniston is a village and civil parish in the Westmorland and Furness district of Cumbria, England. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,058, decreasing at the 2011 census to 928. Within the boundaries of the historic county of Lancashire, it is in the southern part of the Lake District National Park, between Coniston Water, the third longest lake in the Lake District, and Coniston Old Man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blawith and Subberthwaite</span> Human settlement in England

Blawith and Subberthwaite is a civil parish in the South Lakeland district of Cumbria, England. It is situated in the Lake District National Park, and includes the villages of Blawith and Subberthwaite. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 189. At the 2011 census Blawith and Subberthwaite was grouped with Torver giving a total population of 265.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bromfield, Cumbria</span> Village and civil parish in England

Bromfield is a village and civil parish in Cumbria, in the north of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lowick, Cumbria</span> Human settlement in England

Lowick is a village and civil parish in the South Lakeland district of the English county of Cumbria. Prior to 1 April 1974 it was part of Lancashire, the change being as a result of the Local Government Act 1972. The village appears in records as early as 1202 as Lofwik, and later as Laufwik: the name derives from the Old Norse "Lauf-vík".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Egton with Newland</span> Human settlement in England

Egton with Newland, sometimes written as "Egton-with-Newland", is a civil parish in the South Lakeland district of the English county of Cumbria. It includes the villages of Greenodd and Penny Bridge, and the hamlets of Arrad Foot, Newland and Newland Bottom. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 898, decreasing at the 2011 census to 817.

St Mary's Church is on a site overlooking the villages of Penny Bridge and Greenodd, in the parish of Egton with Newland, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Furness, the archdeaconry of Westmorland with Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle. Its benefice is united with those of St Andrew, Coniston, St Luke, Torver, St Luke, Lowick, and Holy Trinity, Colton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Trinity Church, Colton</span> Church in Cumbria, England

Holy Trinity Church is located to the east of the village of Colton, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church in the deanery of Furness, the archdeaconry of Westmorland and Furness, and the diocese of Carlisle. Its benefice has been united with those of St Andrew, Coniston, St Luke, Torver, St Mary the Virgin, Egton-cum-Newland, and St Luke, Lowick. The church is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nibthwaite</span> Human settlement in England

Nibthwaite is a village in the South Lakeland District in the county of Cumbria in the northwest of England. It is in the civil parish of Colton, and on the east side of Coniston Water. It is in the historic county of Lancashire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Osmotherley, Cumbria</span> Human settlement in England

Osmotherley is a civil parish in South Lakeland, Cumbria, England, extending north from Ulverston. The village of Broughton Beck is the largest settlement in the parish. Before local government reorganization in 1974, Osmotherley was in Lancashire. Since 2003 it has a joint parish council with Mansriggs and Egton with Newland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mansriggs</span> Human settlement in England

Mansriggs is a settlement and civil parish in the South Lakeland district, in the county of Cumbria, England. Because of its small population, in the 2011 census the parish was grouped with Osmotherley. It has a joint parish council with Egton with Newland and Osmotherley. Mansriggs was Manslarig in 1520. Mansriggs Hall is a two-storey farmhouse in the parish.

Egton with Newland is a civil parish in the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. It contains eleven listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of these, two are listed at Grade II*, the middle of the three grades, and the others are at Grade II, the lowest grade. The parish contains the villages and settlements of Greenodd, Newland, and Penny Bridge, and the surrounding countryside. The listed buildings include former industrial buildings at Newland, houses, bridges, and a public house.

References

  1. "Spark Bridge, South Lakeland". OS GetOutside. Ordnance Survey . Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  2. "Welcome to ENMO Parish Council". enmoparishcouncil.org.uk. Parish Council of Egton with Newland, Mansriggs and Osmotherley. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. "Woodland Industries". Industrial History of Cumbria. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  4. "Insight into life of bobbin makers". The Westmorland Gazette. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  5. "The Farmer's Arms – Grizedale Arts". CONV confederacy of villages. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  6. "Homepage". The Farmer's Arms. Retrieved 18 February 2024.

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Spark Bridge at Wikimedia Commons